Negative Thanksgiving

I’m thankful to clean dishes
That kept my belly fed
I’m thankful for my housework
A roof over my head

I’m thankful dumping garbage
For blessings overflow
I’m thankful paying taxes
For a job, I go

I’m thankful for the traffic
Because I have a car
I’m thankful for the darkness
So, I can see the stars

I’m thankful for sore muscles
Reminds me I still live
I’m thankful for thoughtless
A practice to forgive

I’m thankful for my enemy
Prayers’ opportunity
I’m thankful in my valleys
For my Lord’s dependency

Gratitude

To be grateful is to recognize
God’s love in everything
For indeed He has
Given us everything

Every breath is love
Every moment, grace
For it brings in Him
Immense grace to embrace

Take nothing for granted
Unresponsive, never
To wonder of awakening
To praise our God forever

For the grateful person
Knows God is good, above
Not only by hearsay
But experience of love

Thomas Merton ~ To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.

Thanks for Being There

A great celebration
A feast on the menu
With joy blessed by family
For I’ve been there too

All by myself
Alone, feeling blue
A heavy cross’ burden
For I’ve been there too

A day to give thanks
To our Father turn to
We nourish the soul
For I’ve been there too

In joy and sorrows
I am your friend true
The way, eternal
For I am there too

Thanksgiving Treasure

On this Thanksgiving day
A different way to measure
If this was our last day
What would be our treasure?

In ways that we were blessed
Of cherished memories
Stored within the soul
Of friends and family

Grateful for the gifts
Shared abundantly
What seemed a random path
In focus now we see

Moment of transition
Now to eternity
What will make the passage
Do we have the key?

Hard truth of the knowledge
Of sinners that we be
To greatest treasure cling
Our Savior walks with thee